Machine rests for pistols



MACHINE RESTS FOR PISTOLS Filed sept. 10, 1965 INVENTOR RICHARD J. LEE

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,343,411 MACHINE RESTS FOR PISTOLS Richard J. Lee, R.R. 2, Hartford, Wis. 53027 Filed Sept. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 486,327 6 Claims. (Cl. 73-167) This invention relates to improvements in machine rests to pistols, and more particularly to a novel machine rest adapted to provide a support for testing pistols which is substantially less expensive in design and construction than the machine rests heretofore used.

When it is desired to test the accuracy of a pistol, or the characteristics of various cartridges, the pistol is mounted on a so-called machine rest which holds it rigidly in a fixed position and eliminates any inadvertent shifting of said pistol when it is fired. By thus eliminating the possibility of human movement and error the pistol may be aimed at a target and fired any number of times and it will not shift from its original position, thus permitting the user to check its accuracy, or the quality of his ammunition. This is particularly important to people who shoot in competition because the great majority of said shooters load their own ammunition and the consistency and reliability of their cartridges is critical. The machine rests in present use are heavy structures which are bolted or otherwise secured to a large, rigid base in order to absorb the shock and recoil when the pistol is fired, thus eliminating movement of the gun and ensuring that it is always in exactly the same position relative to the target. Such conventional machine rests are satisfactory for their intended purpose but, unfortunately, they are relatively expensive and a large percentage of shooters cannot afford them.

With the above in mind, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a novel machine rest for either revolvers or automatic pistols which is not only reliable and dependable in operation, but which can be manufactured for considerably less cost than conventional machine rests.

While it has heretofore been deemed necessary to employ a heavy, rigidly anchored machine rest in order to eliminate recoil and movement when the pistol is fired, as hereinabove described, the machine rest comprising the present invention does not attempt to absorb or minimize the recoil of the gun. Rather, in the present invention, simple means are provided for quickly and easily relocating the pistol in exactly the same position after each shot,

thus achieving the same result but permitting the use of a smaller, lighter Weight structure which can be manufactured for a fraction of the cost of the machine rests in present use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine rest which is readily adjustable to permit the pistol to be accurately aimed and set relative to a target, in contrast to some conventional machine rests which are immovable and wherein the target must be shifted about to align the same with the firearm.

A further object is to provide a machine rest which is so designed that a pistol can be quickly and easily mounted thereon without the use of complicated clamping devices such as are used on some conventional machine rests.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide a novel and improved pistol machine rest which is relatively light in weight and easy to handle, which is rugged and durable in construction, which is simple to use, and which is otherwise particularly well adapted for its intended purposes.

3,343,411 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 With the above and other objects and advantages in view, which other objects will become apparent hereinafter, the invention comprises the improved pistol machine rest hereinafter described and any and all modifications or variations thereof as may come within the spirit of said invention, and within the'scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein there is illustrated one preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein the same reference numerals deisgnate the same parts in all of the views: 1

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved machine rest with a pistol mounted thereon, a portion of said machine rest being broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the base element of the present machine rest; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational and sectional view of the pistol-holding member.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. land 2'of the drawings, it will be seen that the pistol machine rest comprising the present invention includes an elongated rectangular base member 9 having a forward end 10, and rearward end 11, and a pair of side walls 12 and 13, there being a pair of laterally-projecting feet 14 adjacent the forward end and a foot 15 centered at the rearward end of said base (FIG. 1) to provide stable support.

The forward portion of said base member is open on its underside, to conservemetal and reduce the weight of the unit, and is provided with afiat top surface 16 which extends rearwardly to a point intermediate the length of said base, the base rearward portion being separated therefrom by an integral transverse wall 17. Said rearward portion is open on the top and is provided with a bottom 18 having an aperture 19 (FIG. 2) through which a common wood screw can be projected to secure said base in position on a bench or table, or other suitable support. Formed in the rearward portion of the side wall 13, adjacent the center thereof, is a tapped bore through which a lateral positioning bolt 20 is adjustably threaded, the function of which will be hereinafter seen. Formed on the base side walls adjacent the center thereof are convex protrusions 22 having upright studs 23 projecting above the top of said base member as shown.

In accordance with the preferred form of the present invention the base member 9 is cast of iron to provide a durable structure which is well adapted to withstand rugged use, but it is to be understood that other materials might also be satisfactory'and the invention is not to be limited in this respect. Moreover, it is to be understood that the exact design and proportions of said base member, as well as of the other components hereinafter described, is not critical and the inventionis intended to include not only the form illustrated and described herein, 'but also any and all modifications or'variations thereof as may come within the spirit of said invention.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing, it will be seen that the novel, movable pistol-support 24 utilized in the present invention includes an elongated leg 25 which is adapted to be positioned substantially horizontally over the forward portion of the base 9. The rear ward end of said pistol-holding member is provided with .a depending end portion 26 positionable with a side face thereof abutting the aforementioned lateral positioning bolt 20, and projecting laterally from the sides of said pistol-support 24 is a pair of trunnions 27 which extend outwardly and rest on the top surfaces of the base side walls 12, 13. A vertical bore 28 is provided adjacent the forward end of the leg member 25, and threaded 'into a registering nut 28 on the underside of said leg and depending therebelow is a vertical adjustment bolt 29 having a head 30 adapted to rest on the base top surface 16. Formed on the rearward portion of said pistol-support 24 and projecting upwardly at an angle therefrom is a flat arm 31 having a plurality of tapped bores 32 therein, said arm being hereinafter referred to as the mounting arm.

. As is shown in FIG. 1, in the use of the present invention with an automatic pistol 34 of the type wherein a cartridge clip is insertable into a magazine in the hand grip 35, said clip is removed and the pistol handle is mounted over the upright mounting arm 31 with the pistol barrel substantially parallel with the leg 25. To secure said pistol thereon, one of the side plates on the pistol handle is removed and the gun is rigidly clamped against said upright mounting arm by means of a simple clamping plate and a bolt threaded into one of the tapped bores 32 in said arm. Revolvers and other types of pistols may also be readily clamped against said mounting arm merely by removing the handle side plates and employing a bolt and clamping plate, and it has been found that the provision of a plurality of tapped bores 32 arranged in the mounting arm as shown permits the attachment thereto of almost every standard make and style of pistol in use today.

When it is desired to test a pistol, or to test the cartridges, the pistol is first secured on the upright mounting arm 31 of the movable pistol-support 24, as hereinabove described, and the elongated horizontal leg 25 thereon is set at the required vertical angle to ensure that said pistol is properly aligned with the target. This can be quickly and easily accomplished merely by turning the vertical adjustment bolt 29 upwardly or downwardly to raise or lower said arm, as required.

With the gun thus secured on the pistol-support, the user may grasp the pistol hand grip and urge said movable support 24 to a position where the trunnions 27 thereon are firmly abutting against the upright studs 23 on the base member. Simultaneously, the user shifts said movable pistol-support 24 to a position wherein the side face of the lower, depending portion 26 thereof abuts against the aforementioned lateral positioning bolt 20. The result is that said movable pistol-support is positioned in abutting relationship to three points, the two studs 23 and the bolt 20, and said support may be easily held motionless thereagainst as the user pulls the trigger of the pistol.

The recoil of the pistol will ordinarly cause the forward end of the pistol-support leg 25 to pivot upwardly about the trunnions 27 while said movable pistol-support simultaneously rides rearwardly on the upper surfaces of the base side walls, thus shifting the pistol from its original position. In accordance with the present invention, however, the user may relocate the pistol in exactly the same position for the next shot merely by again urging said pistol-support 24 into engagement with the upright studs 23 and bolt 20, said contact elements permitting the pistol to be quickly set in exactly the same position for the next shot to allow the user to check the accuracy of the pistol, or the quality of his ammunition.

As hereinabove mentioned, the principal distinguishing feature of the present invention is that no attempt is made to eliminate or absorb the recoil of the gun, in contrast to conventional machine rests. Such conventional machine rests are necessarily extremely heavy in construction, and are too expensive for many shooters. With the present invention, however, wherein the recoil of the gun is not absorbed, but, rather, wherein simple means are provided for accurately repositioning the gun in its original location after each shot, the unit can be constructed for substantially less cost than said prior machine rests.

Further advantages of the present machine rest are that it is entirely reliable and dependable in operation, and it is simple to use. Moreover, the present device can be 4 readily adjusted and set to align the pistol with a target, in contrast to many conventional machine rests wherein the target must be moved about in order to align the same with the pistol.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved machine rest for pistols which is a definite advancement in the art. It is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited or confined to a structure identical in all respects to that illustrated and described herein, inasmuch as numerous modifications and variations therein are possible without departing from the spirit of said invention. It is contemplated, for example, that in lieu of the rigid cylindrical positioning pins or studs 23 it might be preferred to make said studs eccentric in form and to have them rotatably adjustable. Thus said studs could be turned and set to permit adjustment of the position of the abutting pistol-support 24 to accurately locate the same relative to a target, said adjustment means coacting with the vertical positioning bolt 29. In short, what is intended to be covered herein is the illustrated form of the invention and also any and 'all modifications or variations thereof as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pistol machine rest, comprising: a rectangular base member having a forward end and a rearward end,

the forward portion of said base member having a flat top surface and the rearward portion having a bottom with a screw-receiving aperture therethrough, there being a transverse center wall defining said base forward and rearward portions; a pair of side walls on said base member, one of said side walls having a lateral positioning bolt projecting therethrough into the base interior rearwardly of said central wall; a pair of studs projecting upwardly from said base side walls rearwardly of said central wall; a pistol-support movably mounted on said base having an elongated leg adapted to be positioned substantially horizontally over the flat top surface of the base forward portion, and said pistol-support having a depending rearward end portion positionable with a side face thereof abutting said lateral positioning bolt; a pair of trunnions projecting laterally from the rearward portion of said pistol-support adapted to rest on the base side walls in abutting relationship to said upright studs, said studs and the lateral positioning bolt providing contact elements for repeatedly accurately locating said movable pisol-support in the same position on said base; a flat, upright mounting arm formed on the rearward portion of said pistol-support and projecting upwardly therefrom, said arm having a plurality of tapped bores therein permitting the hand grip of a pistol to be bolted thereto; and a vertical adjustment bolt threaded into the underside of said pistol-support horizontal leg adjacent the forward end thereof and resting on the top surface of said base member, said bolt being adjustable to raise or lower said leg to align said pistol-support with a target.

2. A pistol machine rest, comprising: a base member having a forward end and a rearward end, the forward portion of said base member having a fiat top surface and the rearward portion having a bottom, there being a transverse wall defining said base forward and rearward portions; a pair of side walls on said base member; lateral positioning means associated with one of said side walls; a pair of upright projections on said base side walls; a pistol support movably mounted on said base having an elongated leg adapted to be positioned substantially horizontally over the flat top surface of the base forward portion, and said pistol support being positionable against said lateral positioning means; a pair of trunnions projecting laterally from said pistol support adapted to rest on the base side walls in abutting relationship to said wall upright projections, said upright wall projections and lateral positioning means providing contact elements for repeatedly accurately locating said movable pistol support in the same position on said base; an upright mounti'ng arm on said pistol support; means for securing the handle of a pistol on said mounting arm; and vertical adjustment means associated with said pistol support horizontal leg for raising or lowering the same to align said pistol support with a target.

3. The pistol machine rest recited in claim 2 wherein said lateral positioning means comprises a bolt adjustably projecting through said side wall.

4. The pistol machine rest recited in claim 2 wherein the bottom wall of said base rearward portion has a screwre ceiving aperture whereby a screw can be projected therethrough to secure said base to a support.

5. The pistol machine rest recited in claim 2 wherein the vertical adjustment means associated with said pistol support horizontal leg comprises a bolt adjustably threaded into the underside of said leg adjacent the forward end thereof and resting on the top surface of said base member.

6. The pistol machine rest recited in claim 2 wherein said mounting arm comprises a flat, upright arm formed on the rearward portion of said pistol support and having a plurality of tapped bores therein permitting the hand grip of a pistol to be removably bolted thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,024,653 3/1962 Broadway 73167 SAMUEL FEINBERG, Primary Examiner. BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Examiner.

S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PISTOL MACHINE REST, COMPRISING: A RECTANGULAR BASE MEMBER HAVING A FORWARD END AND A REARWARD END, THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING A FLAT TOP SURFACE AND THE REARWARD PORTION HAVING A BOTTOM WITH A SCREW-RECEIVING APERTURE THERETHROUGH, THERE BEING A TRANSVERSE CENTER WALL DEFINING SAID BASE FORWARD AND REARWARD PORTIONS; A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS ON SAID BASE MEMBER, ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A LATERAL POSITIONING BOLT PROJECTING THERETHROUGH INTO THE BASE INTERIOR REARWARDLY OF SAID CENTRAL WALL; A PAIR OF STUDS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE SIDE WALLS REARWARDLY OF SAID CENTRAL WALL; A PISTOL-SUPPORT MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE HAVING AN ELONGATED LEG ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY OVER THE FLAT TOP SURFACE OF THE BASE FORWARD PORTION, AND SAID PISTOL-SUPPORT HAVING A DEPENDING REARWARD END PORTION POSITIONABLE WITH A SIDE FACE THEREOF ABUTTING SAID LATERAL POSITIONING BOLT; A PAIR OF TRUNNIONS PROJECTING LATERALLY FROM THE REARWARD PORTION OF SAID PISTOL-SUPPORT ADAPTED TO REST ON THE BASE SIDE WALLS IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID UPRIGHT STUDS, SAID STUDS AND THE LATERAL POSITIONING BOLT PROVIDING CONTACT ELEMENTS FOR REPEATEDLY ACCURATELY LOCATING SAID MOVABLE PISTOL-SUPPORT IN THE SAME POSITION ON SAID BASE; A FLAT, UPRIGHT MOUNTING ARM FORMED ON THE REARWARDLY THERETION OF SAID PISTOL-SUPPORT AND PROJECTING UNPWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID ARM HAVING A PLURALITY OF TAPPED BORES THEREIN PERMITTING THE HAND GRIP OF A PISTOL TO BE BOLTED THERETO; AND A VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT BOLT THREADED INTO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PISTOL-SUPPORT HORIZONTAL LEG ADJACENT THE FORWARD END THEREOF AND RESTING ON THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID BOLT BEING ADJUSTABLE TO RAISE OR LOWER SAID LEG TO ALIGN SAID PISTOL-SUPPORT WITH A TARGET. 